The Sirtfood Diet: Everything A Beginner Needs To Know

 

In my world, the perfect diet would be one in which I do not have to count smart points or calories. One where the diet food includes coffee, red wine, and chocolate.

And I don’t have to starve myself throughout the day. After a lot of searching, I have found a diet that does just that, the Sirtfood Diet.

The sirtfood diet plan claims to have immediate results with an average weight loss of 7 pounds in the initial 7 days. It may sound unbelievable, but after a lot of research, as well as, personal trials turns out it’s all true!

I first found out about the sirtfood diet plan early this year, and I have been fascinated ever since. People are calling this diet the next 5:2, and it comes with numerous celebrity endorsements. Interestingly, the diet does wonders for weight loss and improves general well-being and health, disease resistance, and longevity. 

To find out all you need to know about the sirtfood diet, read on.

What Are Sirtfoods and Why Should We Eat Them?

A recently discovered food group sirtfoods are rich in nutrients. And they appear to have the ability to activate your body’s sirtuins or skinny genes.

This works quite like a fasting diet does, with the same range of advantages. However, they do not have common downsides, such as irritability, hunger, and muscle loss.  

Sirtuins help in regulating various body functions on a cellular level. They play a key role in your body’s metabolism and possibly reduce aging and inflammation.

By adopting the sirtfood diet, the claim is that you will lose weight, look and feel better, gain muscle, and perhaps live a longer and healthier life.

Top 20 Foods on the Sirtfood diet

Many foods contain nutrients that can activate sirtuin. However, some specific vegetables and fruits contain more of it in comparison to others.

Here are 20 top foods that the authors of the book The Sirtfood Diet have listed.

•         Walnuts
•         Buckwheat
•         Celery
•         Kale
•         Parsley
•         Lovage
•         Birds-Eye Chillies
•         Capers
•         Red Wine
•         Coffee
•         Green Tea
•         Cocoa
•         Extra Virgin Olive Oil
•         Medjool Dates
•         Red Chicory
•         Rocket
•         Soy
•         Turmeric
•         Strawberries

Where did the Sirtfood Diet come from?

Nutritionists Glen Matten and Aiden Goggins created the sirtfood diet and published their book in 2017.

As specialists in nutritional medicine and pharmacy, Glen Matten and Aiden Goggins had been keenly interested in the natural compounds found in plant foods known as polyphenols.

They wanted to explore these natural compounds and find out how they could be harnessed to treat diseases and improve health.

Because of their keen interest in sirtfoods and their potential, they developed a unique diet. This diet is based on mild calorie restrictions and maximizing intake of sirtfoods.  

When they tested the new diet of members of an exclusive gym in London, they were astonished by the outcomes.

The participating members maintained their exercise levels. Yet on average, they lost 7 pounds in the first 7 days.

Even though the weight loss is substantial, these people also gained or maintained muscle which usually does not happen while dieting. On a normal weight loss diet, people lose fat and muscle, both. Participants of the diet felt better in terms of well-being and health.

The diet creators attribute this benefit to the sirtuin genes because when they are activated, the genes promote muscle regeneration and prevent muscle breakdown. The outcome is a leaner, more toned look.

Does the Sirtfood Diet Really Work?

It surely does, particularly if you go with several celebrity endorsements.

Some of these endorsements are part of the second book, so we presume these celebrities tried the sirtfood diet, and it worked for them.

Some celebrities who have expressed strong confidence in the effectiveness of the diet include heavyweight boxer David Haye, television chef, and food writer Lorraine Pascale, and model Jodie Kidd.

Several other celebrities also claim that the diet helped them build muscle, lose weight, and feel great. One of the most interesting endorsements comes from the wife of a participant who says her husband looks extra hot!

If you are more of the skeptical ones like me, you may question these endorsements.

Perhaps the diet is good for celebrities who have diet coaches and personal trainers. But would it work for a normal person like you and me?

The only way to answer this question is to follow the diet for three weeks, complete phases one and two, both, and then see for yourself.

Adele Diet & Weight Loss Plan

One of the biggest endorsements for the sirtfood diet came from Adele. She literally made jaws drop with her lively photo of herself on social media in May 2020. This was the first photograph she had shared since Christmas 2019, and she looked noticeably thinner.

According to People Magazine, the Grammy Award-winning singer had lost 100 pounds. That is when people started discussing the sirtfood diet very enthusiastically because it was responsible for helping Adele lose weight. 

This was endorsed by Pete Geracimo, her trainer, who shared that Adele had been following the sirtfood diet plan over the past few years. 

How did Adele Lose Weight?

Adele has given credit to the sirtfood diet and her work with a personal trainer for the dramatic weight loss.

The Adele diet plan included eliminating processed and toxic food and drink, which really helped the singer start getting results.

In addition to following the diet plan, Adele ditched her daily intake of ten cups of tea, each with two spoonfuls of sugar.

The singer also cut out alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes, and all tangy, citrusy, and spicy foods.

On several occasions, Adele has spoken about her weight loss and how she had made some changes in her lifestyle.

It all began for her when she wanted to develop better stamina for her upcoming tour.

According to the British singer, not only did she lose weight, she looks and feels amazing and more energized. She is also excited to fit into regular, off-the-shelf clothing, which is really great!

Since last year, we see that the Adele diet has really worked, and she doesn’t look very thin. In fact, she continues to look so amazing!

Fortunately for Adele and all of you out there trying to match her results, the sirtfood diet holds a lot of promise.

The fact that the diet plan also included red wine and cheese is very encouraging. Having seen firsthand how this diet plan worked for Adele, you must surely try it out and see what it does for you.

How does the Sirtfood Diet Work?

The secret to losing weight is quite simple: either increase your calorie burn or decrease your calorie intake.

The sirtfood diet works without needing either intense exercise or calorie restriction. 

The process is quite simple. The diet is divided into two main phases, called phase 1 and phase 2.

The initial 7 days of phase one are the hyper-success phase that comprises a focused sirtfood diet using moderate calorie restrictions.

The second phase is longer and lasts for 14 days. This is the maintenance phase in which you consolidate the weight loss. There is no restriction on calories in this phase. 

Phase 1 of the Sirtfood Diet  

For the initial three days of the diet, you will have a restricted calorie intake. And you will consume 1000 calories daily.

Your diet will comprise three green juices, one meal, and two dark chocolate squares, all made from sirtfoods.

During the next four days, your calorie consumption will go up to 1500 calories per day.

The diet will include two green juices and two meals, again all made from sirtfoods. You cannot consume alcohol; however, you can take tea, water, green tea, and coffee freely.

The cornerstone of this phase is the green juice, the main ingredients of which are kale, lemon, matcha powder, ginger, apple, celery, parsley, and arugula.

The authors promise that you will lose seven pounds in the first week. 

Phase 2 of the Sirtfood Diet

In this phase, there is no restriction on calorie intake. Your daily meals include three meals and a green juice.

You can also take an optional bite snack if needed, such as walnuts or dates. Needless to say, all meals will comprise sirtfoods only. This phase will last for the next two weeks.

You can also drink red wine in moderate amounts, that being two to three glasses a week. As before, you can continue with green tea, coffee, tea, and water.

What is the Sirtfood Diet  Book?

The Sirtfood Diet book has a very helpful chart that tells you what meals and foods you can eat.

You will also find all the required recipes in the book for the initial three weeks. You can choose between a meat and fish option and a vegetarian or vegan option for each day.

The recipes are almost all gluten-free, and you have dairy-free options too. With so many options, this diet will work for nearly everyone, irrespective of their food preferences.

What to do After the Sirtfood Diet?

The Sirtfood Diet book does not provide much guidance about what to do once the three weeks are over.

However, that is because the diet is not one you follow for a specific period. Instead, it is a complete way of life.

Once you are at the end of your three-week diet, you must continue with meals rich in sirtfoods and continue with your green juice daily.

After the launch of their first book, The Sirtfood Diet, the authors have now published the Sirtfood Diet Recipe Book.

This book has lots of recipes for main meals and green juice with sirtfood ingredients. There are several alternative recipes for making the ever-important green juice. And you will surely love the Sirtfood dessert recipes!

You can choose to repeat Phase One and Two of the diet as and when you feel that it is necessary. This can be for a health boost or if you want to meet your weight loss goals.

As you adopt this diet in the long term, you will also increase the number of foods you eat.

What are the Advantages of the Sirtfood Diet?

One of the biggest advantages of the sirtfood diet is that it encourages you to make healthy food choices. There is nothing on the recommended food list that is a bad food choice.

All the foods on this list would make it to any recommended healthy and balanced diet.

 

For example, one meal comprises a salmon and broccoli dinner, followed by a small piece of dark chocolate or red grapes for dessert.

This is an excellent meal, and it comprises sirtfoods only. The sirtfood diet is not doing magic; it simply recommends healthy food options that will help you lose weight and adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Moreover, the diet is not completely vegetarian. While it does focus largely on plant-based foods, which is a good choice to make as consuming more plant-based foods is good for your health.

A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association supports the benefits of adopting a plant-based diet.

The study analyzed the impact of a plant-based diet. It found that if people started eating fewer animal products and more plants, the risk of the general population’s deaths by cardiovascular disease would be reduced by one-third.

What are the Disadvantages of the Sirtfood Diet?

There does not appear to be anything wrong with adding the nutritious food options recommended by the diet.

However, the list does not appear to have a lot of nutritional variety. Additionally, the low-calorie plan may cause you to have lower energy levels for strenuous workouts.

The first phase in particular, where you are supposed to consume 1000 to 1500 calories a day, maybe very little energy for many adults.

There is a possibility that you may feel mentally cloudy, fatigued, or continually hungry.

Some critics have expressed reservations about the misunderstandings regarding the health benefits. However, as the diet is relatively new, there is an absence of hard research about the Sirtfood Diet.

There is no possible harm this diet could cause to your health, so you should be okay.

How to Make the Sirtfood Green Juice?

The green juice made from sirtfoods only is a significant part of the sirtfood diet.

While you are still thinking about whether you want to follow the diet, it might help to know how simple or difficult sirtfood recipes are.

Also, the green juice is highly nutritional and would be an excellent addition to your regular day’s meals.

Before we discuss the recipe, you must note that you must make this recipe using a juicer.

You could make it using a food processor or blender too, but the blended version is very unpleasant to drink. It ends up feeling like a nasty tasting sludge. On the other hand, you will really enjoy the juiced version that is quite a reasonable juice with a pleasant taste and texture.

According to the Sirtfood Diet Recipe Book, you can store the green juice in your refrigerator for up to three days. So it would be worthwhile to make a larger batch and store it. You could also choose to make it fresh every day.

However, if you are generally very busy in the mornings, make your green juice the night before. This way, all you have to do is drink it in the morning.

The Sirtfood Diet Green Juice Recipe

This sirtfood diet green juice recipe has been adapted from The Sirtfood Diet Recipe Book. It is packed with highly nutrition-rich sirtfoods and is excellent for anyone who wants a health boost. As it is the cornerstone of the sirtfood diet plan, the green juice recipe is essential for anyone following the diet.

Course – Drink

Prep Time – 5 Minutes

Total Time – 5 Minutes

Serves – 1 Person

Calories – 101 Kcal

Ingredients

•         Kale – 75 Grams
•         Rocket – 30 Grams
•         Parsley – 5 Grams
•         Celery Sticks – 2
•         Green Apple – ½
•         Ginger – 1 Cm
•         Lemon Juice – ½ Lemon
•         Matcha Green Tea – ½ Teaspoon

Instructions

1.   Except for the matcha green tea and lemon, you’ll have to juice all the ingredients.
2.   Squeeze the lemon juice by hand into the green juice.
3.   Pour half of the green juice into a glass, add the matcha tea, and stir. Then add the remaining half of the green juice and stir once again.
4.   Drink right away. You can also refrigerate it for later use.

Notes

1.   This recipe is not suitable for freezing.
2.   The nutritional information is meant to be a guideline and is based on approximation.

What is the Best Juicer for the Sirtfood Diet?

If you already have a good juicer, you can start looking at the list of ingredients and recipes in The Sirtfood Diet Recipe Book. However, if you are looking for a good juicer, visit your local store or explore your online options.

A good juicer can be somewhat expensive and an important investment. Therefore, you must have all the required information before you make a decision. The product you select should be right for you and be worth your time, effort, and money. The wrong juicer will end up in your cupboard, collecting dust.

There are four basic kinds of juicers; centrifugal juicers, masticating juicers, triturating juicers, and citrus juicers. The best kind of juicer for a sirtfood diet plan is a masticating juicer. Also called a cold press juicer, this machine is slower than others but can juice parsley, tough kale, and even thin arugula leaves.

Because the masticating juicer works at a slow speed, it can extract more juice from your produce. Your juice is exposed to lower heat, so it has a higher nutritional value.

This is because exposure to higher heat can lead to oxidation, and that can destroy important nutrients.

Here are some recommendations for juicers available at Amazon.

Omega NC900HDC Juicer Extractor and Nutrition System 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hamilton Beach Slow Masticating Juicer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are two out of numerous options for juicers that you can explore and choose from.

What is Buckwheat, and How do you Cook it?

Buckwheat is full of nutrients, naturally gluten-free, and is one of the foods recommended by the sirtfood diet. But what is it exactly and how do you cook it?

How does it taste? If these are some of the questions going through your mind, let’s find out more.

You may be surprised to know that buckwheat is not a grain, and neither is it related to wheat.

Buckwheat is the fruit of a leafy plant. Because the grain is used in similar ways to cereal grains, it is often called a pseudocereal.

Despite gaining fame in recent years, Buckwheat has been eaten in Eastern European and Asian countries for centuries.

The increasing popularity of buckwheat in the west is because of its numerous health benefits.

The name buckwheat comes from a Dutch word that is translated to beech wheat because of the triangular shape of the plant’s fruit.

Buckwheat flour isn’t new to many people, though, as we use it for crepes, noodles, or pancakes. You can also use buckwheat as an alternative to pasta, rice, wheat, and couscous.

Eight Top Reasons to Add Buckwheat to Your Diet

Here are eight good reasons why buckwheat is a good addition to your diet and why it is on the list of foods recommended by the sirtfood diet.

1.   Buckwheat has high fiber content and is good for people with constipation.
2.   It is gluten-free, which makes it appropriate for people with allergies.
3.   Its protein content has all nine essential amino acids which the body is unable to manufacture.
4.   The high amino acid lysine content in buckwheat is useful in tissue repair and growth.
5.   Buckwheat is rich in vitamin E and B, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, and calcium.
6.   It helps in stabilizing blood sugar levels and is good for those with diabetes.
7.   The low-calorie content of buckwheat helps in reducing fat accumulation.
8.   Its magnesium content helps in relaxing blood vessels to improve circulation, reduce cholesterol, and decrease blood pressure.

How to Cook Buckwheat?

Once you start following the sirtfood diet, you will, of course, go through the trial and error of cooking buckwheat until you find what works for you.

Because it comes in various forms, such as noodles, seeds, pasta, or flour, the way you cook it will vary. The flour, pasta, and noodles are rather expensive and will be available at health food stores. However, the seeds or grouts are easily available and reasonably priced.

Buckwheat is quite simple and easy to cook. However, I would strongly advise that you use your judgment over any instructions on the packet. Some of the instructions may be misleading regarding the cooking time and leave you a disgusting mush of buckwheat. It generally requires little cooking time.

Get Ready to Try Out the Sirtfood Diet

After reading about the nutritional value of sirtfoods, the simple recipes, and inspiring success stories, it is time to try out the sirtfood diet. This article has all the information you need to get started. Do read the Sirtfood Diet Book and the Sirtfood Diet Recipe Book for recipes, advice, and tips if you want to know more.  

To conclude, the Sirtfood Diet is basically calorie-restricted. It encourages you to consume only sirtuin-rich foods and remove toxic, unhealthy options from your meals. Once you complete your three weeks, you may be in a better place to choose whether to make this diet a constant part of your lifestyle or come back to it again later.